Chevy Chase says doing Community show was a "Big Mistake"

He's nearly 70. Doing a TV show with 20-odd episodes a season isn't easy for those half his age.

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Betty White is 90 and she is doing a weekly sitcom with 22 - 24 episodes per season.

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And even without the sitcom, she's getting so much favorable attention from fans and other actors/actresses. She seems quite thankful and positive for this resurgence, which happened just a few years ago and she's been nurturing it very well ever since. That's opened a lot of doors for her, and rightly so.

Chevy Chase says his decision to participate in Community was a "big mistake" and that he considers sitcoms to be "the lowest form of television," according to the Huffington Post's UK edition.

Though he was quick to compliment his colleagues on the NBC comedy, Chase said he was drawn to it because of the steady paycheck. But that may have been a poor decision in hindsight, he says.

"It was a big mistake!" Chase said when asked why he made the leap from movies to television to play millionaire Pierce Hawthorne on the show. "I saw this pilot script, thought that it was funny, and I went into the room where they were casting and said, 'I would love to play this guy.' Then they mulled it over. Then they hired me and I just sort of hung around because I have three daughters and a wife, and I figured out I might as well make some bread every week. ... [But] the hours in this kind of show are not commensurate with the actual product."

Chase's disdain apparently extends beyond Community to the entire genre.

"The hours are hideous, and it's still a sitcom on television, which is probably the lowest form of television," he told the Huffington Post UK. "I think the reason I have stuck around is because I love these kids, the cast - they are very good. It's not like I am working with the great innovators of all time, but at the same time, they are my friends."

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Wow, he sounds like a really nice guy.

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So, he already had am extremely low (and ridiculous, considering some of the things he's done which are not much different in style or were much worse in execution) opinion of sitcoms --of which Community is hardly a conventional example, already knew about the work ethic required to do them, and based solely on the strength of the character in the pilot and the desire for a steady paycheck, he used his star power to get on the show in a different way then everyone else and proceeded to make things difficult for the showrunners and cast (whom he allegedly admires while simultaneously dissing them) from day one. What a cockbag.

He knew there would be long hours, so why pursue it? If you're concerned about having a steady paycheck, then bite your fucking tongue and go with the program. It's hard work but it's not like you're standing over a hot stove all day for minimum wage. Be grateful for what you have.

If you think the entire sitcom genre is a wasteland, then why get involved at all? Because you liked the character in the pilot? He seriously didn't consider the implications of that character continuing beyond the first episode? Obviously he did because he wanted the steady paycheck, so again, bite your fucking tongue and do your job, you hypocritical asshole. Really, what's so much more objectionable about the format and execution of sitcoms than variety/sketch shows like SNL, talk shows like his horrid late night show, or comedy movies?

If he liked the cast so much, he wouldn't constantly walk off the set and delay filming like a prima donna, he wouldn't be badmouthing them or their livelihood in public, and he wouldn't put them in the awkward position of having to take sides or remain neutral between him and the showrunners in public statements.

Having just finished a full watch of S1 on DVD, this is a bit of a gut punch to me. :|

Similar to what other have said, I went in not quite knowing what to expect and was underwhelmed by the first few episodes. The show definitely snowballs though, and I was greatly enjoying it by the end of the season!

Was planning to order S2 along with Avengers from Target until stupid Target sold out...

Actor says: I think sitcoms are the lowest form of television (which isn't that far fetched actually).

Average TrekBBS member go: Fuck you, asshole! He has always been an asshole. Blablabla.

Locutus of Bored said:

He knew there would be long hours, so why pursue it? If you're concerned about having a steady paycheck, then bite your fucking tongue and go with the program. It's hard work but it's not like you're standing over a hot stove all day for minimum wage. Be grateful for what you have.

If you think the entire sitcom genre is a wasteland, then why get involved at all? Because you liked the character in the pilot? He seriously didn't consider the implications of that character continuing beyond the first episode? Obviously he did because he wanted the steady paycheck, so again, bite your fucking tongue and do your job, you hypocritical asshole. Really, what's so much more objectionable about the format and execution of sitcoms than variety/sketch shows like SNL, talk shows like his horrid late night show, or comedy movies?

If he liked the cast so much, he wouldn't constantly walk off the set and delay filming like a prima donna, he wouldn't be badmouthing them or their livelihood in public, and he wouldn't put them in the awkward position of having to take sides or remain neutral between him and the showrunners in public statements.

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You actually realize he will never read this rant?

And if he did, you would need to get an infraction for flaming or something, lol.

He's nearly 70. Doing a TV show with 20-odd episodes a season isn't easy for those half his age.

Click to expand...

Betty White is 90 and she is doing a weekly sitcom with 22 - 24 episodes per season.

Click to expand...

And even without the sitcom, she's getting so much favorable attention from fans and other actors/actresses. She seems quite thankful and positive for this resurgence, which happened just a few years ago and she's been nurturing it very well ever since. That's opened a lot of doors for her, and rightly so.

He knew there would be long hours, so why pursue it? If you're concerned about having a steady paycheck, then bite your fucking tongue and go with the program. It's hard work but it's not like you're standing over a hot stove all day for minimum wage. Be grateful for what you have.

If you think the entire sitcom genre is a wasteland, then why get involved at all? Because you liked the character in the pilot? He seriously didn't consider the implications of that character continuing beyond the first episode? Obviously he did because he wanted the steady paycheck, so again, bite your fucking tongue and do your job, you hypocritical asshole. Really, what's so much more objectionable about the format and execution of sitcoms than variety/sketch shows like SNL, talk shows like his horrid late night show, or comedy movies?

If he liked the cast so much, he wouldn't constantly walk off the set and delay filming like a prima donna, he wouldn't be badmouthing them or their livelihood in public, and he wouldn't put them in the awkward position of having to take sides or remain neutral between him and the showrunners in public statements.

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You actually realize he will never read this rant?

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Yes, I do, hence the repeated use of the third person "He" before transitioning into a general "you" and "you're" directed at comments on the behavior rather than the man himself and said for the purpose of talking to the other posters about the situation. But you already knew that, and were just trying to be rude because of your weird obsession with protecting celebrities from comments they'll never see by your own admission.

And if he did, you would need to get an infraction for flaming or something, lol.

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Whereas your almost always useless and hostile posts just slide right by. LOL.

In other news of pointless things you've said, how's your quest to protect the rights of long dead 19th and early 20th century historical figures from having exaggerated or completely fictionalized accounts of their lives coming? I hope it doesn't interrupt Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: Dinosaur Slayer.

Whereas your almost always useless and hostile posts just slide right by. LOL.

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You are the moderator, do something about it then if it's legitimate.

In other news of pointless things you've said, how's your quest to protect the rights of long dead 19th and early 20th century historical figures from having exaggerated or completely fictionalized accounts of their lives coming? I hope it doesn't interrupt Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: Dinosaur Slayer.

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My QUEST that consisted of one post where I said I "kinda dislike" it, followed by an observation, followed by a clearly tongue in cheek post? Yeah, I'm obsessed with it.

Don't flatter yourself. I don't even think about you except when you say something dumb or rude. That's frequent enough for me.

Did you think you would just come in, make a condescending post that basically renders the entire point of message boards moot and not get a negative response in return? Quit playing the victim.

ETA: I'm not a moderator in this forum, so I couldn't "do anything" about it even if I wanted to, which I don't. I'd rather just tell you what I think and hope it makes a dent than do anything mod-wise.

Actor says: I think sitcoms are the lowest form of television (which isn't that far fetched actually).

Average TrekBBS member go: Fuck you, asshole! He has always been an asshole. Blablabla.

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A did not lead to B, in this instance.

They aren't necessarily mutually exclusive, but the two facts can exist independently. But one would only need to read some of the things Chevy has done and said about his experiences on Community to know that he isn't exactly a team player.

Did you know that he films a lot of his scenes on different days from the rest of the cast, on his own "schedule"? They are able to mask this with clever editing, but the fact is that he doesn't always share the screen with his coworkers. Not sure what a curmudgeonly 70 year old man has going on that's more important than his job, but he certainly likes to punch the clock and do the bare minimum for the Pierce role.

All I'm saying is that it's pretty silly to make such harsh opinions about someone based on hearsay and gossip. Calling him asshole and writing emotional rants about his alleged behavior makes you feel better somehow about yourselves, I get that. And no, I'm not going to stop to point that out, ever. Especially since it doesn't matter if it's about a celebrity or not. It could be a thread about 'My coworker is such a dick.' and everyone chimes in 'Yeah, what an asshole.'
And no, I also won't stop pointing out the hypocrisy every time it comes up. Never forget the Chase Masterson thread, that was a hilarious debacle. It was all fun and games and nobody felt obliged NOT to be rude, until she actually showed up. That's a double standard, and you all know it. Stop being rude in front and behind people. You are actually accusing ME of being rudeand of trolling?! Look in the mirror. We have that behavior all over these message boards. 'William Shatner is an arrogant prick, because I heard so.' It's disgusting trash talk from people who are not involved AT ALl that's what it is.